The present disclosure relates generally to multi-receptacle cable-management containers. In particular, multi-receptacle cable-management containers that enclose multiple individual AC receptacles and a plurality of power cords and cables within a roll-top enclosure are described.
For convenience, the terms cable and cord will be used interchangeably herein to reference power cables and/or power cords. Power cords will be described most often as one example of a cord or cable managed by the disclosed containers. However, the concepts discussed herein are applicable to power cords, power cables, data cords, data cables, audiovisual cords, and audiovisual cables.
Known cable-management containers are not entirely satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. For example, existing containers do not completely hide from view the many power cables that are plugged into an AC power strip or wall outlet nor do they provide a built-in mechanism for gathering or tying together these power cords. In addition, conventional containers typically do not feature a way to channel these power cords through a conduit or raceway and do not prevent young children from accessing the plugged in power cords.
Further, known cable-management containers are often cumbersome. To the limited extent that such containers attempt to hide away cords and cables, they include awkward mechanisms for accessing the power cords. Conventional cable-management containers do not employ an enclosure configured to retract within a sleeve. Further, known containers do not include cable deflectors or ramps to help feed cables inside of an enclosure.
Existing cable-management containers or specialized audio/video furniture are not compact or easy to use and generally contain no means for adequate ventilation. Further, conventional cable-management containers are not cosmetically or aesthetically pleasing, which is important for home and office environments where power-cord management is needed.
Thus, there exists a need for multi-receptacle cable-management containers that improve upon and advance the design of known cable-management containers. The following three patent references are exemplary of the types of cable and cord organizers currently known and are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes: U.S. Pat. No. 8,746,606 to Murray filed May 17, 2011 (“Murray”), U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,444 to Camas filed Oct. 12, 1988 (“Camas”), and U.S. Patent Application 20110147542 to Hoek filed Dec. 21, 2010 (“Hoek”).
The Murray reference discloses an electrical cord organization box. The electrical cord organization box in Murray is a box with a lid. Inside the box are an array of helical cones onto which cords may be wound and unwound. The electrical cord organizer box in Murray also includes slots on its front and rear surface to accept electrical cables before and after being wound around the helical cone. While Murray's electrical cord organization box organizes excess lengths of cable, it does not allow a user to organize a large number of plugs that have to go into an outlet.
The Camas reference discloses an electric plug organizer that includes a holder which surrounds the periphery of an electric plug for retaining the plug in a storage position. The electric plug organizer only has the capacity for two plugs and holds the plugs when the plugs are not plugged into the electrical outlet. Thus, the electric plug organizer in Camas does not does not work well for organizing a larger number of plugs nor is it the aim of the Camas electric plug organizer to organize electrical plugs when they are plugged into an electrical outlet.
The Hoek reference discloses a cable organizing system. This cable organizer system is a holder that includes slots through which cables may be inserted or threaded through. The cable organizing system in Hoek is open and thus does not protect the components from small children nor does it conceal the plethora of cables it organizes. Furthermore, the cable organizing system in Hoek does not contain any power outlets and thus, a user must supply his own power strip leading to disorganized and an unattractive jumble of cables near the power strip or strips.